Analysis from Molly Cliff-Hilts, former traffic chair of MTNA RE: diverter proposed for 50th and Lincoln November 2017

GRAPHIC of “SUPER-BLOCK” ISSUE The impact on the east side of 50th on the neighborhood is clearly out of scale with the other diverters along the Greenway. The red lines follow the number of blocks a neighbor would have to drive to get the closest neighborhood street, which appears to be contrary to the project description to "reduce cut-through car traffic, address high speeds” and from the FAQ sheet, "PBOT uses pre-project counts to help decide where to place diversion, preferring to place it where there is more capacity to absorb diverted drivers.” (Emphasis mine.) There is no capacity between Hawthorne and Lincoln from 51st to 59th to absorb diverted drivers.



UNDOING PBOT PAST EFFORTS The whole purpose of the Gateway at 50th was to encourage traffic to stay on the collector street, 50th. Even with all the traffic calming improvements that have taken place, 55th/Hawthorne curve is still a confusing and dangerous intersection. Hawthorne, an already heavily used cut-through street and pedestrian walkway to Mt Tabor park, has a known accident history. East of 55th, it is only 20’ feet wide with no mow strip. Diverting more traffic onto Hawthorne will increase the opportunity for more accidents with both cars and pedestrians.

ACCIDENT HISTORY 55th/HAWTHORNE CURVE We live 5436 SE Hawthorne on the curve at 55th. My tenure as traffic chair began in 1994 after a car crashed into our house, imbedding 7 feet from where I was sitting holding our infant son. In 1997, after I suggested that our babysitter use our car, she pulled out of our driveway with our two toddlers. Suddenly, I heard a huge crash and then saw our sitter’s car smashed up and in the middle of the street. A stolen car had sped down 55th and hit her parked car. Less than a moment later, I saw a

police car in pursuit, airborne over the hump at the intersection and hit the neighbor’s tree. The police car was totaled. Thank God our kids and sitter had left a minute earlier in OUR car. Over the years, cars have hit the seminary wall numerous times, as well as crashed on 55th north of us.

1997 babysitter’s car is the red sedan in the middle of the street

1994 - car crashes into our house





CURB EXTENSION 55TH/HAWTHORNE AND NEIGHBORHOOD GATEWAY 50TH/HAWTHORNE I have kept diligent records of all the accidents over the years at 55th/Hawthorne. After the police car was totaled, KATU news did a two-part series called "Running Into Red Tape", profiling our efforts to get the city to do something. The publicity led to the curb extension which made 55th south of Hawthorne all one width of 26 feet. The extension virtually stopped the accidents on 55th south of Hawthorne and later, in 2004 with the construction of the Neighborhood Gateway, the number of accidents at the 55th/Hawthorne curve decreased. We still have accidents here, most recently 2014, 2015, 2016 - two hit the Western Seminary wall, and one into the yard at 5524 SE Hawthorne, across the street from us. Diverting more traffic onto Hawthorne will increase the opportunity for more accidents with both cars and pedestrians.

A BETTER SOULUTION

I support Susie Kirkpatrick's suggestion of instead of the diverter at 50th: allow parking only along one side of Lincoln between 50th and 60th 1 Install a dedicated bike/pedestrian light/signal at 50th/Lincoln 2 Remove the traffic circles along Lincoln from 50th-60th 3 parking only on the south side of Lincoln from 50th-60th 4 EB bike lane next to south side parking 5 EB/WB traffic lanes in center 6 WB bike lane next to north curb

Why? - Without diverter, it will be safer for cyclists not having to navigate north/south cut-through traffic crossing Lincoln after driving the super blocks

- Traffic circle removal: My husband commuted on his bike on Lincoln to the river for 10 years and every traffic circle on Lincoln was a chance to have an interaction with a car trying to pass. The removal would give buses, cars, cyclists and pedestrians more room and visibility. (The plus to the traffic circles is that they seem to dissuade traffic from using our street, but I think the safety issue for cyclists overrides this.) - Parking on south side. There are 16 houses that can only be accessed by Lincoln on the south side, while there are only 8 on the north side - less neighbors will lose their parking in front of their houses. - An eastbound cyclist headed up hill will be going slower, so if someone opens a car door or pulls out of a parking spot there will be more allowable reaction time than with a cyclist speeding down hill, on the north side. - If an eastbound cyclist is going uphill slowly and a motorist wants to pass, with the extra nine feet of travel width, it would be safer for the vehicles to pass the bikes going up the hill.